1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to athletic shoes and, more particularly, to an athletic shoe particularly suited for use in baseball, football, golf, and other sports where cleats or spikes are used for traction on the playing field.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Using the example of baseball shoes, athletic shoes typically comprise a sole having an upper extending upwardly from the sole and into which the foot of the athlete is positioned and secured in place. In addition, a plurality of spikes or cleats are secured to the sole and extend downwardly from it, to improve the traction of the shoe when the athlete runs.
Although the spikes typically found on baseball shoes vary in precise form, usually more than two narrow spikes are secured to the bottom of the sole in a spaced apart relationship near the front or ball portion of the sole. In addition, three or more relatively narrow spikes are secured to the heel of the sole in spaced apart relationship. One example of such a known baseball shoe can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,040,450 which issued on Jun. 26, 1962 to F. C. Phillips. In well known fashion, these previously known spikes dig into the ground when the athlete runs for improved traction.
Such athletic shoes are not adapted for walking on concrete, hardwood flooring, or carpeting. The artificial turf that is used in many stadiums today are a form of carpeting not particularly suitable for athletic shoes with cleats or spikes. Many users of such athletic shoes find themselves at times in a dugout walking on cement. After an athletic event, athletes retire to locker rooms or some other room having flooring not adapted for use of spiked athletic shoes. Athletes find themselves wearing their spiked athletic shoes on adjoining paved areas, in club houses, and in locker rooms without taking off the shoes and subjecting themselves to the risk of slipping and falling with grave consequential injuries. If the flooring is made of wood, the flooring becomes marred and damaged, and if the flooring is carpeted, the carpet life would be severely shortened.
Various types of devices have been developed to provide for athletic shoes and footwear that may be converted so that spiked or protruding elements do not contact flooring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,774 issued to Lafever on Oct. 17, 1989, discloses a shoe sole that has one or more chambers, each housing a piston-like cleat plate fitted for vertical movement in the chamber. Each cleat plate has a cleat mounted on it. When a source of fluid pressure, for example from a squeeze bulb type air pump, is directed in the chamber bounded by the fitted cleat plate, the plate or cleat moves downwardly to cause the cleat to extend from the soles of the shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,562 issued to Chuang on May 2, 1989, discloses shoes with two sets of elastic nails in the sole. Like the device invented by Lafever, the nails or "cleats" are in a vertical orientation requiring a relatively thick sole for them to be housed in a retracted position. The thick sole is also used to house a box that includes a switching device and a moving board. The moving board cams the nails outwardly to extend from the sole.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,434 issued to Chein on Apr. 18, 1989, discloses a shoe that has spikes which may be extended and retracted by T-shaped rail members. The camming of the spikes to extend or retract is actuated by impacting the front or rear of the shoe sole against a solid target such as a wall or road surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,249 issued to Schaefer on Jun. 8, 1982, discloses a device that pivots outwardly from a housing that may be the sole of the shoe. The pivoting element is a roller device that is not made for gripping a surface, but shows the technology of retracting an element into a foot housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,793,751, issued to Gordos on Feb. 26, 1974, discloses a retractable spike that is used particularly as a golf shoe. The movement of the spikes in this device is accomplished from outside the shoe by rotation of a knob. The rotation of knob again presents the spikes in the vertical orientation that they are in to grip the surface when the shoe is worn.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,243,902, issued to Chapman on Apr. 5, 1966, discloses a golf shoe having a protective sole to be placed over the shoe so that the spikes are not presented to the turf.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,920,404, issued to Ross on Jan. 12, 1960, describes a safety heel for shoes that carries a spike for engaging the ground during slippery or icy conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,076,316, issued to Beals, Jr., on Apr. 6, 1937 shows another device of the protective sole variety as an example of the technology used to protect the spikes against being presented to damage ground surfaces.
The various devices described above, as found in U.S. patents, all disclose means of technology used to isolate spikes from the ground when not being used to grip the ground. The devices, however, either are clumsy in use because of the bulkiness of actuating devices, or the thickness of soles, or the storing of protection or isolation devices worn over the spikes when no contact with flooring is desired and taken off when the spikes are exposed.